Fifth person arrested in theft of 1,000 pounds copper wiring

Raleigh police arrested 28-year-old Kwantez Hagans on Tuesday in connection with the theft of more than 1,000 pounds of copper communication wiring from a former DMV site that occurred last September. Court documents allege Hagans, who worked at 4 Seasons Demolition Services at the time, took the wiring with the intent to steal and defraud his employer. Authorities say he then exchanged the stolen material at Foss Recycling and obtained more than $800 under false pretenses.

Hagans is being held on a $40,000 bond and is due back in Wake County court at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 3. He is the fifth person arrested in the investigation; other individuals charged in connection with the series of thefts are named in court records as Quavon Gilmore, Elijah Walker, Michael Moore and Willie Jacobs III.

Copper theft has become a growing problem for businesses, contractors and public properties in Wake County. Rising copper prices have made wiring, pipe and other copper items a frequent target for thieves, and investigators say thefts like this one can slow redevelopment of former government properties, raise costs for employers and create safety hazards for workers and the public. The cash payments from scrap yards are typically small relative to the economic and logistical disruption caused when critical communication and electrical systems are removed or damaged.

The involvement of a demolition subcontractor employee raises questions about controls within private contracting and the practices of recyclers who buy scrap metal. Local governments and industry groups have in recent years encouraged stricter ID checks at scrap yards, better inventory and chain of custody procedures at job sites, and more robust vetting of subcontractors handling salvaged materials. For property owners and developers, the theft underscores the need for secure storage and monitoring during interim periods of vacancy or demolition.

For Wake County residents the immediate impact is primarily indirect: higher costs for rebuilding or restoring damaged systems can be passed on to taxpayers or customers, and delayed redevelopment can slow neighborhood improvements. Homeowners near vacant or former government sites should remain alert to nighttime activity and report suspicious loading of materials to local police.

The case will move through the county court system in the coming weeks, and any convictions could inform local policy on scrap metal sales and contractor oversight. In the near term, expect continued emphasis from officials on tighter controls at demolition sites and greater scrutiny of transactions at recycling centers.